The Forbidden Dragon King

Shadow Kings #1

by Rosemary A. Johns

A Dragon King.
A secret princess.
And the revenge he burns for.

After the murder of his brother by vampires, Aurelius, the most powerful dragon warrior in the Shadow Kingdoms, blazes with desire to destroy his enemy.

All he needs to do is capture the monstrous Vampire King’s omega, Freya.

His fated mate.

She doesn’t know who she truly is or her own magic. She’s a mistreated outcast in the wolf shifter kingdom, until Aurelius swoops in and saves her. He flies her away to the merciless Shadow Court.

She wants freedom. But he holds her captive to train at the dragon-rider military academy with strict rules, intrigue, and deadly secrets.

She’s only meant to be a pawn in his war. But when he touches her, his whole world sparks to flame. Yet he’s forbidden to bond with anyone.

He doesn’t know that he’s risking love igniting between her and his other prisoner, the masked, tortured Fae King who has become her protector.

But he can’t allow himself to care. He’s set to sacrifice her in his plot to finally destroy the last Vampire King.
But if he does, will his cold heart be burned to ash?

Three villainous kings. One strong heroine. And an epic love that could burn an empire.

The Forbidden Dragon King is a royal dragon, fae, and vampire dark romantasy that includes fated mates, morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers, villain gets the girl, obsessed heroes, betrayal, political intrigue, who did this to you, and touch her and unalive. In the passionate world of the Shadow Kingdoms, the heroine won’t have to choose. One-click this story today!

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Romantasy, Romance, Omegaverse, Why Choose, Paranormal

618 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 11, 2025

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author of Addictive Romance

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Award-winning and #1 Amazon bestselling paranormal and romance author.

WINNER OF SILVER AWARD in National Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
Shortlisted in International Rubery Book Awards.
Winner in the IAN Book of the Year Awards: awarded Finalist

A music fanatic and anti-hero addict. Rosemary writes savage vampires, snarky demons, and epic battles. She's always been a rebel.

Discover enemies-to-lovers, swoonworthy book boyfriends, and shifters! Don't miss her steamy and action-packed REBEL series, including REBEL GODS, REBEL WEREWOLVES, and REBEL ACADEMY.

Reviews

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spark can burn an empire…

You had me at:
Dragon King
Secret Princess
Fated Mates
Touch her and die..

Honestly, I was sold there- but this book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way! I cannot thank the author enough for a copy and chance to engull myself in the of dragons, vampires, political intrigue and some WHY CHOOSE...
I went in blind, and felt it was the best way.. this has so many unreliable heroes and good hearted villains that you never know what to expect.

What I will say, fated mates and the burning need for revenge never looked to so good! This is a bit of a cliffhanger and another is definitely coming. This one will be hitting shelves on September 11th, keep your schedule free!

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story quickly pulls you in. I absolutely love these characters and their personalities. We start out meeting Freya who is this incredibly strong and kind lady. She has sneaky skills that we see quickly in the story. We then meet Aurelius and Daire. These two kings have completely different personalities but yet they both still blend perfectly together with Freya. The story has so much action, drama, and suspense. It kept me glued to it as I journeyed alongside them. There are betrayals and lies that have this story twisting and turning. Then we get to the end of this book and let me tell you the cliffhanger that is given just has me absolutely excited to see what is going to happen next. Rosemary A. Johns wrote a story that you simply can’t put down.

[Nikki Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I havent really read much omega before, but if this is what I can expect then I definitely want more.
Freya is an orphaned omega wolf desperate to escape her life and the shame of being unable to shift - and when she is taken captive by the Dragon King, who seems to be clumsily courting her, it seems like a step in the right direction.
Throw in a sassy Fae King as a soul mate, and a pack is created- but one that is under threat from unseen puppetmasters who seek only power and destruction.
Found family, knotting, red hot banter and an epic love story, all in one book.
I dont want to have to wait for the next one, I need to know what happens next NOW!
highly highly recommended!

[Mellissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 Shadow Alphas all meant for one Omega!

The rare yet unstable Golden Dragon King, The Bandit Fae King, and The Bloodthirsty Murderer Vampire King!!

One Rejected Orphan Shadow Wolf Omega!!

Need I say more??....
Probably not, but I will!

Freya, the orphaned Omega, whose family was killed by the Vampires, is on the run because tonight is the Mate Hunt! The Hunt where Alpha Wolfs will give chase to Omegas and choose to Mate or Kill!
Well, unfortunately, for Freya, she is in the kill column because, according to the Alpha King Ulf, she is useless and a waste of their community!! There is another reason, too, but I'll let you figure that one out!😘
So she runs for it to the Cave that will take her to the Dragon territory! If she can make it, she'll be home free because Dragons don't treat their Omegas as second class citizens only good for breeding!
She's stopped by the Alphas son and has to fight her way out, but when he finds out she's a possible mate for him, he rejects her!!! Like his father, he thinks she's useless! Well, that just showed her his true Knot head colors!!! Then, out of nowhere, a roar sounds, and she is taken away by a huge Golden Dragon!!!

She's heard stories about this heartless Alpha, the King of Dragons! He took the Crown after his older brother was killed by the Vampire King!
The Dragon King has other ideas, and they include making this new Omega his pet, for as a Golden Dragon, he is Forbidden to Mate! And to conquer not only the Vampires but also the Fae!!

But what will happen to Freya if he conquers these kingdoms when their Kings are her Mates!!!

Dragon, Fae, and Vampire!!

As soon as I read the title "Forbidden Dragon King," I knew this book would be Amazing!!
And let me tell you, it's even better than I thought it would be!!! Could not put it down!!! Cannot wait for the next book!!! Especially after that, Cliffhanger!!! Not sure if I want to applaud the Dragon King or be completely PO'd ar him!!! Guess we'll see!!
Need the Next Book so bad!!! Will be cou ting down the days!!!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Epic Fantasy Beginning

Loved this first book in series debut for Rosemary A. Johns. In this world we have dragons, fae, shifters, and vampires. And the entire land is at war with each other. I could not stop reading, so finished in 2 days (I still had to work you know). My heart breaks for our characters throughout the book. Rosemary has written their sadness, passion, and hurt so well. There will be a Book 2, so we definitely are left hanging at the end.

Aurelius, the cursed golden dragon is home from war, and his brother, King Tarquin needs to meet him. He never gets the chance, because right in front of his eyes, his brother is murdered by vampires; someone he thought was a friend. Right then and there Aurelius vows revenge on the Vampire King. And in order to do so, he needs to find their shared mate, Freya. He can't let himself feel or care about anyone or anything for fear he'll lose control of the golden dragon and burn everything to the ground.
Freya is a orphan wolf shifter that can't shift. Her entire clan was killed by vampires and now she's an omega slave. She knows she needs to escape because soon she'll be part of the Mate Hunt - and no one will mate her so she'll be killed. The cunning theif she is, she's in the prince's room stealing magic to protect herself. Only she finds herself rejected by the wolf prince as a bond mate, and when he's been ordered to kill her, taken by the dragon king as his pet.
Daire is the rogue Fae King, at war with the dragons, and defeated. He's forced to make a deal with the dragons to save the rest of his people. He's a fated mate to Freya also. They must figure out how to navigate the court as pets, especially as Aurelius' uncle has taken on training him as a courtesan - and believe me no one wants to be spending any time with his evil uncle.

[Katie Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fated mates, forbidden love, forced proximity, and omega verse all in one book; this romantasy had everything for me. I love how strong Freya is and Daire's banter is fantastic. I really wanted to reach threw my kindle and smack Aurelius, also Maximinus needs to disappear forever! Daire and Freya bond early on in this book and that made me heart soar. The storyline was very easy to read and I devoured it. This book ends on quite a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to meet the Shadow Vampire King.

[Sherri Stovall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well hello Mr. Dragon King.
This book is so exciting. Why???? Well let me tell you.
Aurelius is bent on revenge. His brother is murdered and it's all that rules his life
Hard, Cold, Unadulterated Revenge.
The vampires have went to far
So Aurelius knows something.. A secret princess.
Freya... And the adventure begins. Unbelievable powers are leashed, ,,, And so does lust.
Do they find their love? Or do they burn the world to ashes?????
I absolutely loved this so much. I couldn’t put it down. And I can't wait for more. Thank you Rosemary.

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 *

“The forbidden dragon king” is this authors first romantasy, and definitely different compared to most of her other work. It has the complex worldbuilding I recognize in most fantasy romances, although this time most of its complexity is due to the different species and the war they are battling between them. I’ve seen some reviews complaining about the author wanting to include too much, but I personally feel like everything has its place within the story. Yes, it’s a story that makes it necessary to keep your attention on every detail, but those details ultimately do matter.

Where I do recognize this author’s style, is in the character building. All of them have suffered, both in the past and in the present, and trust isn’t easy for any of them to give. It doesn’t help that they all have a personal agenda, and people who depend on them for their own safety. Still, all of them still long for people close to them, for love in their lives, and that definitely connects them. All characters feel multidimensional, and I’m pretty sure there is a lot more to discover about them in the next book(s). I’m excited to find out more, definitely after how this first book ended!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freya is about to be taken by a dragon king who wants to use her for his own revenge. Life is going to get more complicated when they touch and wakes them both to a new way to live. She does not know what she is or how powerful she will become. See where they will take you both

[Lori Hammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freya runs for her life, finds her pack, and gets caught in court intrigue and machinations. It's hard to know who is manipulating who, between the King, his uncle, and the council. I loved this story!

[Tannith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betrayal, secrets and war - this book has it all.

Loved the FMC and her mates, and was on the edge of my seat for most of this book. The ominous feeling as I approached the end, waiting for the hammer to fall and it was a harsh one to end.

Very excited for the next!

[Chels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the ShadowKings series and it is action packed. There’s lots of world building and you really have to read carefully because things you think might not be significant end up being significant. Freya is a wolf shifter that cannot shift, who escapes her kingdom. Daire is an Unseelie fae king who has been dethroned, Aurelius is the Golden Dragon and the King. Between the three of them, they come together in an unexpected way and we are left with a cliff hanger at the end that leaves us shocked. Can’t wait for book 2!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a roller coaster ride this book was! Freya, Daire and Aurelis were so amazing to meet and learn more about. They’re all fighting for the same thing, but all going about it in their own way. This book has everything; wars, possessive fated mates, lies, half truths, perceived enemies, heats, ruts and nest building. This was such a fun read and ends on a big cliffhanger I can’t wait for the next one.

This is book 1 in the Shadow Kings series.

[Thais • tata.lifepages • · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moment I read the premise of this book I knew I was going to love it! I mean A WHY CHOOSE ROMANTASY OMEGAVERSE with 1 Omega and THREE Villainous Kings?? I didn’t know I needed it until I had it ! 😍

The Forbidden Dragon King seriously has everything you can possibly want in a Romantasy, and it had me HOOKED! I have a feeling this will become the next big Romantasy… 👀

What you can expect:
🖤dragon, fae & vampire!
🖤why choose
🖤omegaverse
🖤enemies to lovers
🖤captive/captor
🖤fated mates

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has it all, dragons, alphas and omegas, shifters, and vampires, what's not to love! Add in some intrigue, war, deception, and you have the perfect recipe for an amazing book. I loved it, read it at every opportunity and now I'm counting down the days until book two, because that ending? it was brutal.

[Emmareads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️
ARC review

The book started off strong! I devoured the first part as if it were my favorite meal. But around 30% in, it completely lost me. The mix of dragon shifters, fae, vampires, and werewolves was already enough; adding omegaverse elements only made it feel messy.

The romance, which is essential in a romantasy for me, fell flat. I couldn’t connect with the characters or care about their love story. The dynamics felt strange and confusing, and Aurelius, who is supposed to be a feared king, came across more like a timid boy taking orders from his uncle. I wanted strength and presence from him, not weakness.

By the time I reached 76%, I had lost all interest. The plot never clicked for me, and the lack of "why choose" elements was disappointing. What began with promise, unfortunately, ended in frustration.

[Samantha Silensky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll be honest, Freya had me from the gate. A strong, stubborn, FMC who is willing to go against expectations and survive when everyone expects her to give in, even if she dies trying? Yes please. I knew from that first chapter than I was all in, and 100% behind Freya. And the book only got better from there.
I’m not sure what I hope happens to Bard after what he pulled with Freya. But I do know I hope it hurts.
Daire however, holds my heart. He’s been sweet, protective, and earnest from the gate. While I don’t condone the secret he’s keeping from those who care about him, I can also understand why he’s doing it. So I can’t begrudge him for it. His pride is portrayed in beauty and grace, not ego, because he earned his title, his reputation, and everything else that comes with it. He fought with his people, and for them. He is truly worthy of all the good things.
Aurelius is 75/25. Towards the beginning I kind of just wanted to see our main characters whoop his butt. But he is slowly making up for what he’s done through the book. Changing both his thoughts and his actions. The strength he’s showing in going against his uncle and the council, even in small barely noticeable ways, shows just how redeemable he is. Like saving Daire or protecting Freya *wink wink*. There’s been enough growth in him, that the ending of the book doesn’t have me panicking at that cliffhanger, as much as I expected it to. I guess when he says to trust him, no matter what, that trust even crossed literary boundaries.
I dove headfirst into this book, and I’m more excited than ever to delve into the next one.

[Paula Sabol (Never Choose Fantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forbidden Dragon King by Rosemary A Johns is a fantasy romance. Freya is an omega wolf forced to flee to survive. However her plan to seek help from the fae is destroyed when she is captured by the golden dragon king and he defeats the fae king making them both his pet.  However not all is what it seems in the dragon court.  In order to bond with his mates Arelius must find a way to outsmart his uncle. Can he do this and find a way for them all to survive?

   This book had a lot to unpack. It has an enemies to lovers theme with dragon King Arelius and Winter Fae King Daire. It takes time for Daire and Freya to see the true dangers in the dragon's court and realize Arelius’ uncle is holding the strings and Arelius is merely a puppet king. The court is filled with mystery, secrets, and betrayal with only the golden family to be trusted.  I enjoyed the banter and seeing how Daire and Freya's wildness complimented Aurelius and opened a new world to him.

     If you enjoy  romantic fantasy books with themes of reverse harem, shifter omegaverse, strong female main character, found family, mates and

bonds, knots and nesting, omega with fangs, kind and caring alphas, court intrigue and lots of betrayal then this book is a must-read!  I rated this 5 out of 5 stars reading quickly and was so disappointed to end on a cliff hanger that has me waiting for book 2 where we learn more of Lanolin and the vampires.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary Johns' The Forbidden Dragon King is the why-choose paranormal omegaverse fantasy romance I didn’t know I needed. This book is written a little differently than her Pack Bonds series; it took a minute to acclimate to the different writing style, but after that, heck yeah.


This book was like a whirlwind. The plot was wonderfully chaotic. It had everything: dark dreams and cursed daggers, a dangerous court and rival kingdoms, manipulation, fated mates, complicated politics, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, a military academy, heats, ruts, mate marks, and tons more. You'll be hard-pressed to not find at least one thing you like about this book.


The characters were complicated but fantastic. Freya is a fearless omega who takes too many risks for her own good. Daire is the mischievous fae king who is always plotting. I love his playful side. Then there was Aurelius, the golden dragon reborn. He seems like a villain at first, but the deeper I get into the story, the more I realize just how much of a victim he really is. My heart broke for him. He also does these incredibly sweet things that endeared me to him even more. I'm just waiting until his evil uncle gets what's coming to him.


The plot had me riveted. Everyone was playing a giant game of chess. There were political moves, power plays, subterfuge, and more. I didn't know what to expect from one moment to the next. As the characters changed, so did the plot, and that's what hooked me. The ending was freaking brutal, but so good. I was completely blindsided. I need to know what happens in the next book ASAP. Fantasy readers, this one is for you.

[Teresa Juckett (Love Dark Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me flipping pages as soon as I had started it before long I was on chapter 20 something and it was 3 am. Needless to say, I couldn't put it down. I love these mc's Freya, King Aurelius, King Darie aka Kit. this story was wild. I couldn't get enough. It's Moon Hunt night for the wolf shifters to find a omega and she's one but she can't shift, so she knows its only a matter of time before they find her to kill her, so she's looking for something to block her smell in the Alpha's son's room, but time is about out and she knows she'll be safe in the Fae Kingdom that Darie will protect her, since he's the King, but thing's don't go quiet as planned.

I tell you Freya is one of a kind. She is stubborn, loyal, fierce, and sassy and King Aurelius doesn't know what to make of her as she's his fated mate and apparently so is King Darie his enemy. There was so much going in this book as the plot was plotting as there's so many secrets to unravel.

[Bekki Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forbidden Dragon King by Rosemary A. Johns

This was absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year. The mix of dragons, fae, and dangerous politics kept me hooked from the first page. The tension between enemies and fated mates was intense, and the world-building was rich and immersive.

What hit me hardest:
- The cliffhanger was intense, but done well. It doesn’t feel cheap; it feels like it naturally pulls you toward the next book.
- There’s betrayal and pain in that ending, and yeah, it made me hold my breath, questioning loyalties and what the next part will demand.

If anything, I just wish I could’ve kept reading longer without that abrupt break. But it’s worth it, because everything built to something I actually care about.

5 out of 5 stars. One of the strongest fantasy romance books I’ve read this year. Cannot wait until February to see where it goes.

[Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book of a new series. Filled with danger and deception. Freya is the FMC. She is an orphan omega, and even other wolf shifters want nothing to do with her. She faces death multiple times in the story, as do the two main males. The dragon king is the one the story focuses most on, but we get to know the far king quite well too. This is no sappy love story but one of fated mates and the curses they face. There is some heat to this story, but I have a feeling that will become even hotter in the next story. The author has created three very different but at the same time similar main characters. There is so much depth put into writing them. An amazing realm that I can’t wait to read more of.

[Joy Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemary gives us an absolutely wonderful beginning to a new series!! The story of Freya, Aurelius, Daire and Lanlin begins with her running for her life during the mate hunt and finding out prince Bane is her mate and being rejected by him, then Aurelius saving her from Bane. Then we see Aurelius defeat the unseelie fae and make king Daire into his pet to save him. To find out how they get from there to love on the way to a shocking cliffhanger, dive into this wonderfully written book with complex characters and plot twists that keep you gasping and turning pages throughout! I loved reading this story and highly recommend it. Don't miss out on this book!!

[ShadowKissed · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a great start to the series. Aurelius is a dragon who ends up with a horrible job he doesnt want to do. He becomes King when his brother is murdered. As he's figuring out his new role and how to handle things. things get more complicated because he finds his mate. A wolf Omega named Freya. She has her own issues to deal with with her pack. But of course Freya doesnt have just one mate...Her mate the Fae King Daire pops up and causes alot more chaos. this was such a fun read i cant wait to see what happens next.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love big books!

This book was really good! Full of twists and turns betrayal and secrets! I loved the world building. And Freya! And how she feels the wolf kingdom and ends up with Dragon King! I loved all the characters and fantasy aspects and the Omegaverse in all this it's really freaking different and I love it! This book was just extremely unique read unlike anything I've read yet and that is what made me love it more! It's definitely the most unique RH book I picked up this year! Can't wait for the next book.

[Brenda Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book in the series is Amazing and Emotional! From Freya being a servant and forced to participate in the Omega Hunt her adopted pack insists on, and being saved by the Golden Dragon. This realm is splintered into many fractured elements by one cruel dictatorship that hides in the form of manipulative ways inside the council. However thing are always twisting and the cliffhanger at the end is a doozy! Be prepared to be shocked 😮

[Erika Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this it’s a why choose OV romantasy about a woman determined have a better life and out of a dangerous situation and the men destined for her. I loved the characters Freya is smart, sassy, and resilient. I enjoyed seeing her and Daire’s bond grow while they kept Aurelius on his toes, slowly help him open up more emotionally and begin to realize that not everything he was taught growing up regarding him and his dragon is true. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Laura Beltran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

Wow! This is the first book of Shadow Kings and it's an amazing start! I wax hooked start to finish and completely drawn in. The world building is fantastic and as always Rosemary A Johns has created such wonderfully unique characters for us,to live or hate. Freya the FMC is fantastic and the chemistry between her and both. Aurelius and Daire is off the chars spicy. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens next and to get to more of her third mate, Lanlin

[Tasha Goulet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

The Forbidden Dragon King is the first book in the Shadow Kings series. This fantasy omegaverse was built in one scheme leading to another and to another.

The games that are being played just blew me away. There are moments when you feel like you got it, but you would be wrong. And when you have a cursed dragon king, an unseelie king/pet, and a vampire king that all hate each other but share an orphaned wolf as their mate, things are going to be complicated.

The political subterfuge that plays out as family betrays each other and conspires to take power, along with council members, who are plotting and planning their own power grabs. Make this a very interesting read.

I know the dragon king is playing the long game, but he'll have to be careful or his Spark might just burn him.

I can't wait to see what the next brings!

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

So twistedly brilliant! Dragon - Aurelius ends up with a job that he never wanted - as King when his brother is murdered. Things get more twisted with the discovery of his mate - Wolf Omega - Freya. Who has had her own difficulties with her own pack. Only a new start with Aurelius doesn't go exactly to plan when another of her mates Fae King - Daire surfaces and causes more complications for her. It made for an intriguing mix of sworn enemies, action, underhand people and great plot twists as well as one jaw droppingly good cliff-hanger ending. All of which made for one hell of a start to this series.